Posted on 03/04/2014 10:39:59 AM PST by John W
DETROIT – March will be one of the most crucial months for the U.S. auto industry in years.
Sales were slower than expected in January and February, and the number of unsold cars on dealer lots grew. Some automakers had to resort to juicy discounts to lure reluctant buyers.
Most industry executives, dealers and analysts blame the historic cold temperatures and snowfall, and expect warmer weather to restore consumers’ enthusiasm for car buying. Most still expect annual sales to exceed 16.1 million, which would be the highest level since 2006.
But a continuation of the trends could signal more fundamental reasons for sagging demand. For instance, consumer confidence fell slightly last month, according to the Conference Board. That hurts car sales, because buyers need to be confident before they invest in a car.
(Excerpt) Read more at journalgazette.net ...
Dream on, auto makers. The tapped out U.S. consumer is trying to pay for the family’s health care. It won’t get any cheaper, so this dismal market will linger as long as ObamaCare is in effect.
My son-in-law is a car salesman. Business is terrible....................
And also:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3129487/posts
$27K for a car. I’ll never understand it.
A new 4x4 full size pickup will set you back 40K+
In the era of Obama, we are not allowed to blame the policies of Obama for bad economic news. Someone else, or some outside force such as weather, is to blame.
We are not to speculate about increased healthcare costs as causing people to delay buying cars, or spend less on cars than before. We can’t say anything negative about the policies of this president because, well, just because the media template doesn’t allow for it.
I LOVE my Ford Escape. Got it for $17K three years ago. It had 20K miles on it. 2008. All the bells and whistles I normally would’ve never even considered. Paid cash. It just hit 50K miles. Most likely the last vehicle I’ll own. First ‘new-ish’ one I’ve ever owned.
Again, LOVE it and LOVE Ford for not taking taxpayer bailout dollars! :)
The tapped out U.S. consumer is trying to pay for the family’s health care...”
and groceries and property taxes and household insurance and replace worn out or too small children’s clothing and gas for the car to get to work and....
Since the weather is Bush’s fault, slow car sales are by extension also Bush’s fault.
I like the Escape too. If yours a 4x4?
*IS yours a 4x4?
“That hurts car sales, because buyers need to be confident before they invest in a car.”
Just to be clear, the vast majority of cars are not investments. For most buyers, cars are financial liabilities and big ones to boot. Getting to work is a necessity. Getting to work in a new car is generally not. Nevertheless, I love it when people spend a lot of money on cars. As an investor in car companies, it makes me money. Shhhh!
I would really like to have a new F150 dbl cab 4x4... F250 woud be better. MSRP is well over 50k.
OTOH My 98 Durango is running fine at 150,000 miles. By 200,000 it will need work. Lets say new engine, trans rebuild, transfer case and diffs checked, some bodywork and new paint.
Even farming out the work wouldn’t cost $15k. Mrs p6 could even get a car to replace her 91 Saturn SL1 (with ~45,000 original miles!) and it would be less than a new truck.
I heard a top of the line Silverado pickup can set one back $70K these days, but the payments are so affordable...
Problem is the frame starts rusting out bad after about 15 years.
My 97 F-150 4x4 only has 98,000 miles on it but it’s rusting pretty bad now.
The most i ever spent fo a car well it was a truck was 18 tho for a toyota tundra 2005 still driving it have no desire to buy anything else for now no mrs albaby wanted the nissan murona great suv but it was twice that amount
I hate that thought that it is your last car also my truck could be my last too getting old aint for sissys
Keep an eye on your brake lines.
That’s probably the most dangerous point of attack for corrosion. Also your rubber lines at the wheel can deteriorate where the fittings are swaged on.
Been keeping a real close watch on the D’s frame. So far nothing, but I’m prepared for that too. One of the pluses of frame/body construction.
Of course at my age I’m not sure I’m up for that, LOL! Actually I never have had great results making....pretty....welds.
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